New Mexico Professional Athletes

Two University of New Mexico alumni lined up on opposite sidelines Sunday in Cleveland, and the moment that defined the Jets' 17–12 win over the Browns had both of their fingerprints on it.

The Lobo Bowl That Wasn't

Browns punter Corey Bojorquez and Jets kicker Jason Sanders don't share a field often, but when they do, the stakes apparently come with them. In a tight, defensive grind, Bojorquez's fumbled snap proved to be the critical turning point — a miscue that allowed New York to rally and walk away with the victory. The Browns fell to the Jets 17–12, with Bojorquez's error looming large over a game Cleveland had the look of winning.

Sanders, meanwhile, was on the right side of the scoreboard. The Jets' veteran kicker contributed to a New York offense that capitalized when Cleveland stumbled. It was a rare head-to-head moment for two Lobos alumni who have quietly built durable NFL careers as specialists — and Sunday's result was a reminder of just how much a single special teams mistake can swing a game.

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey added three sacks and four tackles for loss in the win, giving the Jets' defense the teeth it needed to hold Cleveland at bay even before Bojorquez's fumble opened the door.

Reed Gets His Shot in the Desert

Out in the NFC West, another Lobo was earning a different kind of opportunity. The Arizona Cardinals elevated safety Jerrick Reed II from the practice squad on Saturday, Oct. 17, ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Reed, who spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and earned recognition as a standout on their All-Rookie team, got the call alongside running back Evan Hull as Arizona looked to bolster its roster for the divisional clash.

Practice squad elevations are fleeting by nature, but for a player working his way back into a regular role, getting active on game day in a divisional matchup is meaningful. Reed has the pedigree — his Seahawks tenure put him on the map — and the Cardinals clearly see enough to keep him in the mix.

The Bigger Picture

New Mexico doesn't produce NFL alumni in volume, but the Lobos continue to punch above their weight at the specialist and defensive back positions. Bojorquez and Sanders have both carved out careers in a role where the margin for error is razor-thin — Sunday was a stark demonstration of that reality, one painful for Browns fans and satisfying for Jets faithful. Reed, meanwhile, is still fighting for consistent snaps, but another elevation keeps his NFL story alive.

Three Lobos, two sidelines, one brutal fumble. Week 6 was a lot for Albuquerque to process.

New Mexico Alumni Report | NFL | Week of Sept. 27–Oct. 3, 2026

Sanders Makes His Move in New York

Jason Sanders didn't just earn a paycheck this week — he took someone's job.

The Jets signed the New Mexico product to their active roster, cutting incumbent kicker Blake Grupe in the process. It's the kind of transaction that looks routine on the transaction wire but represents a genuine shake-up at a position that can quietly make or break a season. Sanders was on the field for New York's Sept. 27 loss to the Lions (24–31), meaning the move wasn't just administrative — he's already the guy.

For Lobos fans, it's a satisfying sight: a New Mexico product holding down a starting kicking job in the NFL. Grupe, for his part, now finds himself out of work in what amounts to a clean displacement — no injury, no committee, just one kicker deemed better than another.

Whether Sanders can help stabilize a Jets team that dropped to the Lions will be the real test. Kickers live and die by consistency, and Sanders now owns the job with no safety net.

Bojorquez Busy in Cleveland

Punter Corey Bojorquez had himself a workload week with the Browns. He suited up twice — once in Cleveland's 21–18 win over Carolina on Sept. 27, and again in the Browns' 27–24 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday, Oct. 1. The back-to-back appearances underscore just how active Bojorquez has remained as a fixture in Cleveland's special teams unit.

The short-week turnaround from Sunday to Thursday is a grind for any player, and punters shoulder a quiet but real burden in those situations — field position battles in close games carry enormous weight. Both of Cleveland's contests this week were decided by a single possession, putting a premium on every snap of special teams play.

Bojorquez, a New Mexico product who has carved out a durable NFL career, continues to be one of the more reliable punters in the league and the most consistently active Lobo on an NFL roster week to week.

The Bigger Picture

Between Sanders locking up a starting role and Bojorquez logging two games in a single week, New Mexico's NFL alumni were among the more visible Lobos on the national stage this period. The rest of the active roster — from Jacory Croskey-Merritt in Washington to Jerrick Reed II in Arizona — rounds out a surprisingly deep pro footprint for an Albuquerque program that doesn't always get its due credit on the national recruiting trail.

For a program that rarely dominates the headlines, the Lobos are quietly producing contributors across the league. Sanders making a statement in New York is the kind of moment that changes that conversation, even briefly.